"You can see the menu in seven minutes," the bartender told me. "The chef is just tweaking it now."

Apparently, when the Odalisque Cafe & Grille team says they update the Cal-Mediterranean offerings frequently, they mean it.

I had arrived just before the kitchen got into gear at this new San Rafael spot - the wine bar opens at 4 p.m., and dinner begins at 5:30 p.m. - and already half of the 10 stools at the bar were taken, with about a dozen diners waiting for one of the 40 seats at the tables.

What a welcome gust of gracious style for Fourth Street. Odalisque boasts the chic factor this area has long lacked, occupying a nook of the historic building that was originally Gordon'sOpera House and now houses Art Works Downtown, between C and D streets.

The vibe is palpable as soon as you enter the airy space with brick walls, colorful paintings and a magnificent walnut bar top. The wood was salvaged from a fallen tree in a Napa vineyard, then handcrafted into a raw curve by Petaluma furniture maker/photographer Tyler Chartier.

Put together by Art Works Downtown artist Lisa Long and chef-architect Jay Yinger of San Anselmo, the concept is simple but sophisticated, rounded out by warm staff.

"Welcome," the bartender said. "Can I get you something to settle the dust?" He then offered complimentary tastes of any wine I wanted to explore, such as a Garnache Xiloca from Spain ($9).

Yinger worked at Berkeley's Chez Panisse and in 1978 founded the former Andalou Restaurant in San Rafael.

While the core of his menu remains similar week-to-week, ingredients reflect the markets. One early winter salad was a bright tapestry of sweet persimmon, shaved fennel and goat cheese crouton on a bed of watercress, endive and butter lettuce drizzled in balsamic vinaigrette ($7).

On another visit, the salad was a warm duck confit creation ($10), a small tangle of shredded bird on crunchy chopped romaine with bits of mandarin orange. Even for confit, the duck was too salty, but the dish was rescued by a terrific sherry-orange vinaigrette.

The large kitchen/private chef's table area in the back includes a wood-burning oven, out of which emerge dainty oval pizzettas topped in various things like mushrooms, smoked Gouda and red onion jam ($8), or curls of smoked salmon dotted with creme fraiche and capers ($11). It's not the best crust, sometimes soft and sometimes crisp.

Yet the oven also turns out reliable entrees such as California swordfish over bok choy and a swath of tartar sauce ($22), a crisp-skinned half chicken dressed with braised fennel and olives ($17), and a roasted scallop-prawn brochette ($22).

"There can't be anything wrong with steak and potatoes," I heard a neighboring diner say as he perused the menu, settling on bavette steak moistened in red wine sauce alongside sauteed kale and Brussels sprouts or roasted fingerling potatoes ($26). Indeed, the flavorful if chewy meat satisfies for anyone wanting a familiar meal.

Still, the chef has more interesting options. One visit's monkfish ($20) arrived ladled in rich lobster sauce on a nest of juicy kale and a dollop of celery root puree, and the lamb tagine ($22) is a must-order if it's available. The slow-cooked meat sings with pleasantly fiery berbere spices in a succulent stew of tomatoes, white beans and vegetables dunked with baguette.

Odalisque also does a nice job with dessert. Unlike the savory menu, the choices didn't change much over my three visits. Caramelized pear Napoleon ($8) was a constant favorite, the soft sweetness sharpened with vanilla anise sauce.

Taken all on its own, the bistro-friendly food at Odalisque isn't changing the world. But combined with the ambience, cheerful jazz background music, interesting wines and happy staff, it's certainly a superb update for San Rafael.